Incredible as it may seem, “The Incredible Hulk” managed to top the weekend box office, grossing $54.5 million.

Despite the numerous negative reviews, the movie beat predictions by about $5 million, but it still grossed $8 million less that Ang Lee’s 2003 version.

"There were a lot of naysayers out there when we said we were doing this," a very confident Nikki Rocco, Universal's president of domestic distribution, said, according to E! Online. "The Hulk smashed those naysayers."

The success may be due to the fact that viewers were curious if Hulk could actually be better made and also due to the well-selected cast, which included actors such as Edward Norton, Wiliam Hurt, Liv Tyler and Tim Roth.

The funny and much praised DreamWorks’ animation “Kung Fu Panda,” which was the previous weekend’s number one, was apparently appreciated enough to stay in top, finishing on the second position with $34.3 million.

On the third position, making M. Night Shyamalan very proud after his last failure “Lady in the Water,” is “The Happening,” which grossed $30.5 million over the weekend. Although Shyamalan’s “Lady” only took in $42 million in 2006, it seems the fans trusted the director of films such as “The Sixth Sense” or “Unbreakable,” giving him enough credit to go and see what he made this time.

After it gained $40 million and the second place in box office during its opening weekend, Adam Sandler’s “You Don't Mess with the Zohan” has slipped to number four, gaining only $16.4 million during the end of this week.

The fifth spot is occupied by “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” which, in its fourth week since its official release still managed to attract the moviegoers, grossing $13.5 million.

“Sex and the City” is on the sixth position, having taken in only $10.2 million.

Final figures are due Monday.